Tag: dark academia books
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The Dark Academia Read of the 2020s is R.F. Kuang’s Babel
Dark academia is a popular genre among young readers, and it has made a resurgence over the last decade or so. Babel, R.F. Kuang’s powerhouse of a novel published in 2022, is the dark academia book of the 2020s, sitting next to Donna Tartt’s The Secret History and M.L Rio’s If We Were Villains of…
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Supernatural Romance and Historical Fiction in Deborah Harkness’s Shadow of Night
Why didn’t I read Shadow of Night before? I don’t know why I stopped at A Discovery of Witches the first time I read it because Deborah Harkness’s Shadow of Night is incredible. Not only do we get a continuation of a truly astounding series, but the historical setting gives everything and more. I couldn’t…
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Every Reread of A Discovery of Witches Makes Me Love it More
There is no questioning it – A Discovery of Witches is my favourite dark academia read, and I adore Deborah Harkness with every fibre of my being. What more needs to be said? That’s the review. Alright, I’ll explain, but know you’re in for a long ride and you best bet you’ll be frantically looking…
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Scratch your Dark Academia Itch with This Is How We End Things by R.J. Jacobs
Finally, another review to write up and, more importantly, another book read! This Is How We End Things by R.J. Jacobs hooked me with its teasing and emotionally involved introduction. The rest of the novel revealed itself like an oleander bloom – stunning and deadly. This Dark Academia novel is one you must add to…
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A Discovery of Witches is Peak Dark Academia Fantasy
When I say that I fell in love with A Discovery of Witches upon reading it’s first few chapters, I’m not exaggerating in any way. Deborah Harkness has a truly mesmerising and compelling narrative style and is able to bring her settings to life, creating this supernatural-dipped Oxford where witches, vampires and daemons roam the…
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The Whispering Dark is a Beautifully Haunting Read
I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book as I’ve been burned by Dark Academia recommendations from bookish social media before, namely Ninth House, A Study in Drowning, and the cult classic The Secret History. So I went into this with some reservations and some low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised when…
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The Secret History – the Origins of Dark Academia
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is an international bestseller, a critically acclaimed chonk of a book, and the basis of Dark Academia as we know it today. It was about time that I read it, but I think you’ll be surprised at what I have to say about it. First published in 1992, the…
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Dead Poets Society – A Dark Academia Favourite That Everyone Should Read
Dead Poets Society, written by N.H. Kleinbaum, based on the Tom Schulman film starring the beloved Robin Williams, is the epitome of academia in book form. I know its based on a film which would then bring up the debate of whether its place is in film or books, but I would say that it…
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A New View into Dark Academia with The Cloisters
The Cloisters by Katy Hays dips into a new side of dark academia for me, one which has spurred a wave of curiosity from deep within, and that is art history. Art history is one of those subject that I wanted to take at school but my subject choices didn’t align right for that to…
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The Disappointing Read of Dorian Gray
Oh, say it isn’t so! I was so excited to get this and devour it in one sitting but it wasn’t to be. I have seen all over social media how The Picture of Dorian Gray is a staple in dark academia literature and so I eagerly added it to my tbr list. So many…